Electric switch



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. H. BRADY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. I

No. 544,781. Patnted Aug. .20, 1895'.

I7 VE/7LLUF UNITE STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. BRADY,-OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,781, dated August20, 1895.

' Application filed May 3, 1895. Serial No. 547,999- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. BRADY, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric switches, andparticularly to the contact-jaws of said switches, and the main objectsof my improvements are increased efficiency and durability of the jaws.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a switch withmy improved contact-jaws Fig. 2 is asectional view of the same 011 theline was of Fig. 1, some of the parts connected with the operating-leverbeing omitted. Fig. 3 is a detached rear or heel view of one pair ofcontact-jaws and their frame. Fig.4 is a plan view of a different formof switch with a modified form of contact-jaws, and Fig. 5 is asectional view of the same on the line 2 z, the lever-switch plate beingomitted.

In Figs. 1 and 2, A designates the switchplate, which is of an ordinaryconstruction and which is given a partial rotary movement by means ofthe lever B, in connection with mechanism not shown, substantially as inswitches generally.

D designates the frame forthe rigid contact-jaws 8, said frame having abinding-post 9 or other provisions for connecting the proper wires, andalso having ears or lugs'lO, by means of which the frames may befastened to the board E. Within each frame, and properly projectingtherefrom, are the contact-jaws pivoted therein by means of a suitablepintle 11, the jaws being provided with hinge-lugs 12, as show; at theleft-hand side of Fig. 2 andnin' therear or heel view, Fig. 3. The innerfaces of the jaws may be beveled or rounded off a little, as shown. Theheels of the jaws are extended a'little beyond the hinge-lugs andpintle, as at 13, to furnish bearings for the ends or arms of thesprings 14. I prefer to employ coiled-wire springs with their armsprojecting tangentially from the coils, and to mount said springs onseparate frames 15, suitably fastened to the board E, with thespring-arms bearing upon the heels of the pivoted jaws with a constanttendency to force said jaws toward each other and consequently againstthe-switch-plate. The springs are secured to their frame by a 5 pin 16,which passes through the lugs of the frame and through the coils of thespring. Although the jaws of themselves are practically rigid they aremade to properly yield and return by being pivoted and acted upon by thesprings. I

In the construction shown-in Figs. 4 and 5 I employ one fixed jaw 8 andone pivoted jaw 8 and these jaws are of a form for use with a switchplate G in the form of a lever. The pivoted jaw is hinged by the pintle22, Fig. 5, near its attaching plate orleaf 23, and it is pressed uponby the spring 24, mounted in a separate frame 25, substantially asbefore described.

In all of the jaws shown there is in each pair at least one pivoted jawof a substantially rigid character, which is acted upon by a spring. Inone form the rigid jaw is formed as an integral part of the frame; butIprefer to employ a separate frame having a binding post and lugs forsecuring it in place, and a pair of rigid jaws acted upon by a spring,either on the same or an adjacent frame, both of the jaws being pivotedto said frame and separately pressed toward each other by the spring,whereby the general efliciency of the jaws is improved, especially withreference to keeping in working order for a longer time and with lessliability to stick or bind in case the switch remains a long timewithout being operated. In two forms I have shown the springs mounted inseparate frames, whereby they are less liable to be injured by heat thanif they were on thejaw-frames, and less liable to such injury thanarecontactjaws in which the spring resides in the jaw itself, or in oneand the same pieceof metal with the jaw.

I claim as my invention-'- 1. An electric switch having contact jaws ofa rigid character, one of said rigidjaws in each pair being pivoted toits frame, and having also'a separate spring frame and spring adjacentto the frame of said jaws with its spring bearing upon the pivoted jawfor forcing it; to its work, substantially as described and for thepurpose specified.

2. An electric switch having a contact jaw frame, provided with devicesfor attaching a substantially as described and for the purwire and forsecuring said frame in place, pose specified.

a pair of ri id contact jaws pivoted to said v I 7 frame on a commonpintle, and a separate THOMAS BRADR' 5 spring with its ends pressing inopposite direc- Witnesses:

tions upon the two members of said pair of JAMES SHEPARD,

jaws to move them separately on their frame, A. W. STIPEK.

